The Angler Magazine | April 2023 | Great Smoky Mountains & The Upstate Edition

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MAHI A Few Facts About Everyone’s Favorite Fish

By CAM Sta

On the end of a line or wrapped up in a tortilla, dolphin sh are a worldwide fan favorite. Here are a few facts you might not have known about mahi-mahi:

• What’s in a Name? Mahi-mahi is the Hawaiian term for the sh historically called dolphin or dolphin sh in the mainland United States. In Polynesian “mahi” means “strong,” and “mahi-mahi” translates to very strong. Although most U.S. scientist still refer to the species as dolphin sh, the term mahi has become more

prevalent in recent years, perhaps through foodsh marketing or to avoid confusion with the mammal also called dolphin.

Spanish speakers typically refer to the same sh as “dorado,” which means “golden.” Obviously, this comes from the sh’s color, and dorado is also used widely in the Paci c as well as in English-speaking South Africa.

Dolphin sh are found in all the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans. ey go by many names in many languages. ey are Shiira in Japanese, goldmakrele in German, lambuka in Arabic… and the list goes on.

• All the Pretty Colors: Dolphin sh are revered for their gorgeous colors, which change according to their excitement level. ey can change colors and even icker from day-glow green and yellow with blue highlights to lighter blue and metallic silver over the course of a ght. As soon as you pull them out of the water, this brilliance begins to fade. ese changing colors are due to cells called chromatophores in their skin. Chromatophores re ect light, contain pigment, and are controlled by central nervous system, which gives mahi their awesome chameleon-like abilities.

• Rabbit of the Sea: Part of the allure of mahi for anglers is their prevalence. When they are around, there are usually a lot of them around. ey grow quickly and reproduce proli cally, like rabbits. Dolphin sh can grow up to 3 inches in a week and reach sexual maturity in just ve or six months. ey spawn two or three times a year, and each female can release up to a million eggs during each cycle.

• Size Matters: While smaller “peanut” mahi travel and feed in giant schools, larger individuals cruise in smaller packs of two to ve sh. e average dolphin only lives two or three years, and they have a lifespan of ve to seven years. e IGFA all-tackle world record weighed 87 pounds and was caught o Costa Rice in 1976.

• Speed: Dolphin sh are estimated to swim up to 50 nautical mph, which allows them to feed on pretty much anything they can t in their mouths. is includes their little brothers and sisters.

• Management: It’s usually bad news for anglers when the federal acronyms pay special attention to a species. However, years of declining catches have led Florida shermen to call for tighter regulations for dolphin sh in the Atlantic. Currently, NOAA and SAFMC are looking at options.

Florida boasts some of the best dolphin shing in the world. e sharp multi-year decline in the shery is alarming. Last year, while SAFMC mulled potential regulations changes in federal waters, Florida preemptively slashed limits in state waters by half—from 10 sh to ve sh per person, with the vessel limit dropping from 60 to 30 sh per day.

SAFMC did not follow suit. With opposition to tighter regulations from North Carolina, where dolphin shing appears to be getting better, the per-person bag limit in federal waters of the South Atlantic remained at 10 sh per person, while the daily vessel limit was modi ed from 60 sh to 54 sh. ere is a minimum size limit of 20 inches in federal waters o South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. ere is no minimum size limit o North Carolina.

Many Florida anglers were stunned by the decision to pretty much allow federal regulations to remain as they were. Changes, however, are likely on the way. NOAA/SAFMC have initiated a “management strategy evaluation” with a stated goal of annually determining dolphin sh supply before allocating harvest equally to di erent regions and user groups. We might get a look at what that means by 2024.

• Grocery Shopping: Most of the mahi-mahi you nd in restaurants or at the grocery store comes from the Paci c. In the South Atlantic, just seven percent of the total catch limit is allocated to commercial shing.

MAKE IT A DOUBLE!

Tim Barefoot

A“double tackle” is what I call rigging two lures on the same main line. In certain situations, this appearance of a school of eeing bait sh or shrimp is irresistible to predators, and I’ve got a clean and simple way to rig a double tackle.

is the time of year, a double tackle can be deadly in inshore sheries. Spring brings huge schools of small, immature bait rolling up the creeks o the Intracoastal. ey push into the shallow bays and up the rivers trying to nd a place to hide from all the predators. Rigging two identical baits together can be irresistible to predator sh, and at the same it confuses them. I think sh look at this tackle, with baits zigging and zagging, and are forced to decide which one to eat, rather than whether or not to eat.

ere is always the possibility of catching two tackle. It happens a lot.

Speckled trout, striped bass and American shad are a few likely candidates for this tackle. Spring trout sometimes key on juvenile shrimp, and this tackle is a dead-ringer for the job. American and hickory shad are complete idiots for this tackle, as they stage in tight schools and you o en catch doubles. For the speckled trout, I like a 3-inch DOA Shrimp. For shad, I prefer small so -plastic worms.

Depending on water clarity, I sh 20- to 30-pound uoro for trout and 8- to 12-pound uoro for shad. is a very ne line between using a uoro light enough to get the bite and heavy enough to withstand the force of two sh yanking against each other on the line. e knot that connects everything together is pretty simple, but it takes a little practice to get it just right. It is a must to moisten the uoro when cinching the knot

down tight, as it will cut itself if it’s not wet. Test your knots, pulling hard on them, before use.

I’m going to get sporty this year and make a double-squid tackle for the black n tuna. I may get two at once, but that’s a gamble I’m willing to take. Stay in touch to my YouTube channel for video featuring the black ns. I think the black n tackle will be made with 50-pound uoro.

Regardless of the lure, I use jig heads that make baits walk the dog underwater like a Gotsh the front lure with a jig head, and it zigs and zags with the same cadence of the trailing lure, which has no jig head, just a hook. O en the trailing bait gets the bite.

I’m not going into a lengthy explanation in writing about how to make this tackle, but will show an up-close detailed video that explains this simple knot and rigging completely.

To see video instructions on rigging Tim Barefoot’s double tackle, go to https://youtu.be/FsdUGwyM9c4. For more, visit barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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Catch More Springtime Crappie

By TAM Sta

It’s the time of year when crappie shing can get mighty easy. However, you can always strive to load the cooler with more and bigger sh. Here are a few tips:

• Know Your Prey: Crappie are on the move this time of year. ey might be staged up at prespawn or postspawn depths, or they might be right up on the banks in a foot and a half of water spawning. Knowing their cycles will help you nd them.

Before and a er they spawn, crappie hold on brush and structure just outside of their spawning areas. ey move up into the shallows to spawn in waves, and this can go on for a month or more. So, while some sh are easy targets when they’re spawning or guarding fry on super-shallow brush, there are other, possibly larger, sh feeding a little deeper.

If you’re not catching the numbers or size you’d like to see in the shallows, get on the trolling motor and use your sonar to nd the creek channels and rst drops o the spawning areas. Find some good brush or search the fronts of docks. You might nd big schools slab crappie. Pitch jigs or minnows to individual brushpiles or slow troll these deeper areas to nd sh.

• Ditch the Bobber: A minnow under a bobber is a traditional and e ective crappie rig. It is not, however the most e cient way to catch them in most situations. During the spawn, male crappie are the ones that stay shallow and guard the nests. ey are aggressive, and they are not necessarily feeding when they attack. ese sh are particularly susceptible to gaudy, brightly colored jigs.

Crappie jigs are the best way to cover water both on

spawning banks and on deeper brush. Even when they’re feeding heavily, crappie on brush won’t chase their prey more than a few feet. A jig allows you to make numerous casts and thoroughly cover the water horizontally and vertically in the time it would take to hook and soak a single minnow under a bobber.

Move quickly until you nd the you can slow down and catch them all. If you still want to support the local live bait store, go ahead and buy some minnows and thread them through the lips on a crappie jig.

• Scent: You might not need it all the time to catch sh, but scent helps crappie nd your lure and convinces them to eat. It doesn’t hurt to tip your jig with a minnow, and arti cial attractants like PowerBait Crappie Nibbles or JJ’s Magic can sometimes make them bite when they’ve got lockjaw.

• Network: Make friends with other crappie anglers. ere’s no shortage of available crappie in most lakes. Sharing information with other anglers helps everyone stay on top of the sh. You don’t have to tell anyone where you sunk your Christmas tree in January, but a little give and take doesn’t hurt when you’re talking about stages of the spawn or e ective colors.

For more crappie shing, visit www.coastalanglermag.com.

DAYTON, Tenn. — A prespawn bonanza is on tap for the 2023 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship at Chickamauga Lake powered by TourneyX, and while the lake can be tough, Tennessee native, Jordan Marshall, believes big bass will be caught.

“If we can get some nice warm weather, there will be a lot of prespawn bass,” Marshall said. “There’s a lot of moving parts to Chickamauga. It is hard to pin down a pattern. There are quality fish there, and you will run into them eventually, it is just about landing them and capitalizing. “If we are putting numbers on big bass, I’m going to say it is going to be 24 inches or more. It can happen on any cast.”

One of the hottest big bass lakes in the country over the past several years, Chickamauga — one of the Bill Dance Signature Lakes — stretches about 60 miles through the east Tennessee hills, providing plenty of opportunities for anglers to spread out. The Kayak Series Championship kicks off Classic week, with tournament days scheduled for March 22 and 23. The winner will be announced in Knoxville on the stage of the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota prior to the Day 1 Classic weigh-in.

Marshall, a Hobie Bass Open Series Angler of the Year, lives in Knoxville and has extensive experience on Chickamauga, including a Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation state championship victory that earned him his spot in the championship. Consistency will be key in this event. While Chickamauga kicks out giant bass almost daily, it can be difficult to find a consistent bite from day to day.

“You are going to have to do a lot of stuff to figure out the bite,” Marshall said. “You can fish for seven hours and not get any bites and then in a 30-minute window you have everything that needs to happen to figure out something. Those fish are so strange on that lake, it is an interesting puzzle to put together. There will be a lot of boats. It is absurd. There is not a place on this planet that gets as much pressure as Chickamauga year in and year out.”

Nice weather could send the bass into a full prespawn pattern, and Marshall said he will likely be exploring both the main lake and the creeks and backwaters. He noted that water clarity will be much cleaner than a lot of anglers will anticipate going into the event. While smallmouth and spotted bass both inhabit the lake, Marshall said largemouth will almost certainly be the key species.

“If you told me someone had a full-blown limit of smallmouth, I would be impressed,” Marshall said. “But I don’t think a whole limit of smallmouth is an option. I don’t think it is something consistent.”

The lake will also still be at winter pool, barring a weather system that brings heavy rains to the region — and that will mean less cover on the lake. Deep docks, select laydowns and clean rock will be key items to target. “The vast majority of the lake will be a player,” Marshall said.

“Guys can win the tournament up at the Watts Bar Dam or down at the Chickamauga Dam. If we get a little bit of rain and then some sunny days, any creek on the lake could be a winning or competitive spot. “There is a lot of rock in that lake, it’s just finding rocks that have a hard bottom around them.

Lures will largely be determined by the weather, Marshall said. “If we get some solid weather, it could be plenty of moving baits. If it is cold, a jerkbait could be a big player, March on the Tennessee River, the first thing I think of is throwing a crankbait. That kind of gets everyone catching fish, and it could be a really competitive tournament. “Regardless of weather, I would imagine a Rat-L-Trap in some form (will play).”

While Marshall notes Chickamauga hasn’t fished as well lately as in years past, a mega-bag is possible at any point in time. The event will follow a catch-measure-release format. The live leaderboard can be found on Bassmaster.com throughout the tournament. The event is being hosted by Rhea Economic & Tourism Council and Fish Dayton.

2022 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters

2023 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide

2023 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium

Connect with #Bassmaster and the #BassmasterClassic on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.

DOUGLAS RESERVOIR IN TENNESSEE

Douglas is a fertile, Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir with 555-miles of shoreline and a total surface area of 30,600-acres. The shoreline is primarily farmland and residential, with rolling hills. Douglas’ drainage basin of 4,541-square miles is the largest of the tributary reservoirs. The reservoir can fluctuate 60-feet, from the summer elevation of 1000-feet above sea level, to the winter elevation of 940-feet. It is not uncommon for the lake to rise as much as 15 to 20 feet in a day or two, if heavy rains occur in the nearby Appalachians. However, summer levels can be relatively stable.

Thermal stratification is common during the summer months. Low dissolved oxygen concentrations are common during the summer, making fishing tough until cooler fall weather arrives. Thermal stratification can begin forming as early as April and can be firmly in place by June or July. At that time of year, fishermen should concentrate on fishing the lower end of the lake, and at depths of less than 10-feet (above the thermocline).

Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish are the most popular game fish for Douglas anglers. Sauger, walleye, and white bass also provide excellent fishing opportunities when they make their late-winter spawning runs to the headwaters. Douglas’ game fish feed on an abundant supply of gizzard shad, bluegill, and various types of minnows. Anglers unfamiliar with the lake should find excellent fishing in the Flat, Muddy, McGuire, and Nina Creek embayments.

Largemouth bass and crappie spawn in the large shallow embayments and have historically produced very strong year classes. In most years, sauger and walleye successfully spawn upstream in the rivers, during the early spring. Douglas’ game fish are usually able to naturally sustain an excellent fishery, but some supplemental stocking has taken place.

WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY—

By David A. Ramsey

To kick things off, I’d like you to know something about me: I am ignorant. Not stupid—just ignorant. Not to worry though, I’m in good company—because you’re ignorant, too. Now before you get your hackles up, understand I’m talking about simple, honest ignorance, the definition of which is “the basic lack of knowledge about a subject or thing.” Nobody knows it all, right? While I’m as curious as the next person, I don’t fret too much over most of what I don’t know. But the really worrisome thing is that other kind of ignorance—the willful kind. And unfortunately, far too many of our fellow Americans now march to its sad and ominous beat.

Honest ignorance is not an inherently bad thing. It just means you or I don’t know something, which, according to the infamous Donald Rumsfeld, we might not even know we don’t know. But what about willful ignorance? That’s a whole other bucket ‘o bait. Psychologists tell us that to be willfully ignorant means a person realizes, at some level of consciousness, that his beliefs about something are probably false, but for some reason(s), it is more useful for him to intentionally ignore and avoid the true facts and presenters of those facts that prove the beliefs false.

It would seem, at this time in our great country’s history, we are under attack by the forces of willful ignorance. And though they have invaded almost every part of our society, their fierce assault on environmental advocacy and natural resources protection poses a dire threat to us all.

It’s a simple fact that how we treat the environment is directly

dependent upon our understanding—and full acknowledgement—of our deep connection to it. But many among the willful ignorance troops have been trained (politicized) to both ridicule and disregard this core element of our very existence—all for the purpose of furthering a political agenda from which you’d be hard-pressed to hear a full, honest sentence about protecting what keeps us alive.

You know it’s gotten pretty bad when the very word, “environment,” has become as negatively politicized and weaponized as it is now. I’m pretty sure those who engage in this foolishness know what keeps them alive on this ‘ol rock, that it ain’t cosmic fairy dust from a galaxy far, far away. They know water doesn’t really come from a faucet, or food from the grocery section at WackyMart—that they feed their families and survive, day to day, by what flows and grows from THE ENVIRONMENT; that what builds our homes, businesses, churches, schools, roads and bridges comes from THE ENVIRONMENT, and that virtually every human action both affects and is affected by THE ENVIRONMENT. Yet onward they march to the squawks of the snake oil peddlers on the TV, radio and internet.

On the flip side of the coin, I’m well aware of the radical element of environmental acitivism that’s also out there in considerable force, many members of which are as willfully ignorant as anybody. For example, a helluvalot of them have shown themselves to be quite clueless about the huge role sportsmen and sportswomen play in American conservation, about their vast financial and political support and grassroots work in

AND WE’RE UNDER ATTACK

helping protect and manage the natural resources of both public and private lands and waters.

It seems a huge segment of self-proclaimed nature and wildlife lovers would rather see a deer or elk die of starvation and/or disease than be humanely taken by a sportsman or indigenous person to feed a family and help protect the population and its habitat. Nothing points up the difference between a common sense conservationist and a misguided tree hugger more than this.

In fact, a fishing buddy of mine, during a discussion once about public lands, half-jokingly referred to me as a tree hugger, upon which I not-half-jokingly mentioned that he could call me Bozo the Clown if he wanted, and I’d just keep on helping make sure he had fish to fish for, places to hunt and clean water for his kids to drink. And if he ever took his head out of his—‘er, I mean, out of the sand long enough to get himself informed, like a “real sportsman,” maybe he could even help himself a little.

Speaking of tree huggers—as a lifelong conservationist and sportsman, I’m not at all impressed with pontificating, preaching or protesting by people that are willfully ignorant of the deeper connection most hunters and anglers have with the environment than many of them have themselves. But, I am inspired when I witness a radical antihunter get schooled by a hunter or angler about the Pittman-Robertson or Dingell-Johnson Acts and real-world conservation. It can be an entertaining, deer-in-the-headlights moment.

The takeaway here? Man and nature are deeply connected and interdependent—but willful ignorance, fed by political and social disinformation and dishonesty is toxic and destructive to that

relationship. It causes mass disengagement from the critical work of solving our serious local, national and global problems. It is the common enemy of us all, and it’s on the march.

It’s clear these days there are plenty of heads stuck deeply and defiantly in the sand. But if more people tried lifting them up and opening their minds, eyes and ears to sources of information other than dishonest politicians, conspiracy peddlers, lyin’ ratings seekers and online @#%t spreaders, maybe they’d begin to understand and acknowledge that actually, we’re all standing on the same sand. Sometimes we call it common ground.

David Arthur Ramsey is an outdoor photographer, writer and conservationist, born and raised in the mountains of northeastern Tennessee. His outdoor writing and photography have been published locally, regionally and nationally and are most often associated with work to preserve and protect threatened lands and waters throughout the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Field and Stream Magazine and Toyota Motor Company named David the National Hero of Conservation in 2011 for his leadership in saving the 10,000-acre Rocky Fork watershed in northeastern Tennessee. His newly published book, Rocky Fork: Hidden Jewel of the Blue Ridge Wild, tells the story, through his rich photography and his first-hand account, of the more than decade-long battle to preserve this Appalachian and American treasure.

Tactics For Spring Crappie!

By Perry Hensley

It is finally here! The leaves are returning, the Dogwoods are blooming, and crappie are becoming aggressive and shallow. Spring is a prime time for almost every level of crappie angler in East Tennessee. All anglers need to catch these pre spawn/spawning crappie will be a float and minnow. Bank fishing can be phenomenal this time of year so, grab that son/daughter/grandchild and get them out there to catch those fish and make some memories.

Now, back to the basics of springtime crappie angling and where you’ll find them (in my opinion).

As the water warms, the crappie will be moving in from the deeper channels and usually stay staged on the break line (a break line is a sudden or sometimes gradual drop in water depth) before heading into the shallow flats to occupy their beds and start the spawn. My approach in boat fishing for staging crappie is to find these break lines.

After I have found the break line, I will back off of it and either anchor, or drift and fan cast towards the bank, past the break line. I use a float and hair jig set up or just cast a jig letting it fall to the bottom. After the jig has reached the bottom, I give one slight jerk up with my rod tip and start a slow retrieve, at about 2 ft from the bottom, back towards the boat. When I’ve reached the break line, I will let the bait/jig drop another foot or so and continue my retrieve. Once I have gotten a strike, I will repeat this process every cast.

If I am bank fishing, then I will pretty much do this technique in reverse. I cast past the break line out into deeper water, letting my bait sink to the bottom, and then give my rod tip a sudden jerk upwards and start my SLOW retrieve back to the bank until I get that thump.

Even though it is the time of year for the spawn, crappie are highly sensitive to weather. What crappie will do, if they have moved up into shallow water and a cold front moves through, is go back to the deeper water, just past the break line, until the front passes, steady water temperatures return, and they feel it’s time again.

In closing, it is my opinion, that for you to have the best chance for a good day in spring—or anytime you crappie fish—you must watch that weather and learn the characteristics of the fish so that you can find the patterns, methods, and techniques that will produce for you.

As always, God bless each of you and get those friends and family out there to make those memories on the water. Tight lines! Perry

Hensley

CAPTAIN JIM DURHAM FISHING

KY / TN FISHING REPORT

Owner StriperFun Guide Service, Tennessee and Kentucky Walleye, Bass, Crappie and Muskie Charters, Superbaittanks. com, Captain Jim Marine Electronics and much more…

DATE OF REPORT: March 10th, 2023

Greetings to my readers! I hope that the world finds you and your family doing well!

LAKE CUMBERLAND AND CHEROKEE LAKE STRIPERS – DALE HOLLOW WALLEYE

LAKE CUMBERLAND

The early spring striper fishing on Lake Cumberland (southern KY) is terrific, with limits of nice 10-to-15-pound Stripes caught on many days and the occasional 20 pounder as well! We troll live bait on planer boards 10 to 30 feet deep, concentrating on main creek channel points. We also troll Captain Jim Umbrella rigs and cast “Striper Magic” lures. With multiple full-time guides, StriperFun offers day trips on Lake Cumberland year-round (weather permitting).

CHEROKEE LAKE

The Striper – Hybrid fishing on Cherokee Lake is very popular with our clients. In April, we troll live bait on planer boards 10 to 30 feet deep and also downline on suspended schools of fish, concentrating on main creek channel points. Fishing is simply off the chart! 20 and 30 fish days are frequent (TN allows catch and release! With three full time guides, StriperFun offers day trips on Cherokee Lake year-round (weather permitting).

DALE HOLLOW IN TENNESSEE!

Starting each April 1st, we begin Walleye fishing on Dale Hollow at night under hydro glow lights (a great product we sell!), on lake points with drop offs and grass bed edges. Our techniques include jigging, live bait “snagging” and casting – casting a variety of lures, blade baits and jigging spoons. You will want to anchor up and be in place at least an hour before sunset. It is best to spend time during daylight hours “scouting” these lake points, grass beds or drop offs so you are not disoriented at night. We then begin day trips in June, running through October.

It is great to be alive and be a “free” American! I look forward to seeing all of you this year on the water. Always remember to stop and shake the hand of a person in uniform or wearing garb that shows they are a Veteran! Their service is why you speak English, can vote and can enjoy the freedoms you do!

Until next time, blue skies and tight lines!

With full State licensing and insurance, all Captain Jim’s Guide Service guides (16 guides on 16 waterways) can take you on a safe, fun and unforgettable fishing adventure! Check out all of our fishing services as well as our exclusive “online” store at www.striperfun.com or call 931-403-2501 to make reservations today.

Shane Goebel Fishing

LAKE CHATUGE HYBRIDS AND SPOTTED BASS

If one thing could be said about April fishing on Lake Chatuge, it’s that April most certainly kicks off the start of some amazing fishing patterns. From explosive top water bites to monster schools of hybrid bass under the boat and everything in between - April most definitely gets it all going! It’s absolutely time to get on this beautiful Western North Carolina/North Georgia reservoir and experience the fishing trip of a lifetime. There’s no better way to do that than booking a trip with the area’s top-rated fishing guide service, Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. We are Lake Chatuge’s premier charter service and will put you on those trophy spots and hybrids.

The hybrid bass bite lately has been off the hook! We’ve been wearing out some nice 7 to 10 pound fish in good numbers for early spring. The hybrids are currently staging in their spawning areas in the backs of creeks and feeding on small bait. This should continue through the next month or so. Early morning planer boards and free lines will work the best. As the sun really comes out, the fish are moving to slightly deeper water and hitting on our down lines. Live bait is key here to catching some quality fish, but don’t hesitate to cast a spook or a Red Fin. especially when these hybrids are busting top-water and trust me…. We have been killing it on some ultra-lite tackle lately.

Our spotted bass bite has also been insane. It’s not uncommon to catch anywhere from 30 to 40 fish a trip out here. Lake Chatuge offers the best spotted bass fishing in Western North Carolina, and I highly recommend booking a trip with us to experience this super exciting fishing thrill. These big spots are stacking up on shallow points, humps and flats all over the lake and preparing for the spawn. Look for these fish in the 10-30 foot range. The early morning bite has been okay, but it really fires up once the sun comes up. The late afternoon bite has also been pretty productive. Once you find these fish, they are hitting just about anything you can cast at them. Jerkbaits and crankbaits have been working great, but as always, our super lively blueback herring are the biggest producers for some huge spots.

April is a fantastic month for catching a lot of trophy hybrids and spots on Lake Chatuge. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1-rated guide service put you on some of best trophy fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy, NC’s and Blairsville Georgia’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee, Lake Nottely and Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, GA. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!

Shane Goebel owns Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and is a member of The Angler Magazine Fishing Team. See the website at www. bigolfish.com or call (828) 361-2021

New Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail Launches This Spring 10 Pilot Sites

to Open in Western North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 28, 2023) –The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, in collaboration with partners, announced the premiere of the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail, a unique wildlife recreation opportunity located in Western North Carolina that connects people to the fascinating underwater world through a series of publicly accessible river snorkel sites.

Ten unique sites have been identified for inclusion in the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail, spanning across western North Carolina. The sites are hosted by partners and are slated to open in late spring. Each site on the trail will be designated by signage that provides information on water safety information and notable aquatic species that may be found at the site.

The ten pilot sites are:

Catawba River Basin

•Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway, Town of Marion

French Broad River Basin

•Canton Recreation Park Boat Ramp, Town of Canton, Haywood Waterways Association, Inc.

•Mills River Park, Town of Mills River, Mills River Partnership

•Black Mountain Veterans Park, Town of Black Mountain

Hiwassee River Basin

•Valley River Heritage Park, Town of Andrews

Little Tennessee River Basin

•Bryson City Island Park, Town of Bryson City

•East LaPorte River Access Park, Jackson County

•Joyce Kilmer Bridge Fishing Access, United States Forest Service

•Queen Branch Nature Preserve, Mainspring Conservation Trust

Yadkin River Basin

•Stone Mountain State Park, N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation

“River snorkelers will get to experience our rivers through the fishes’ eyes and explore all of the unique and beautiful species that are hidden just under the surface,” according to the Western Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, Luke Etchison, Ph.D. of the Wildlife Commission’s Inland Fisheries Division. “You’ll get the chance to see crayfishes, mussels, aquatic snails, salamanders, aquatic insects, and fishes you don’t normally see, even if you fish.”

Snorkeling is quickly becoming a popular alternative to the traditional uses of rivers and lakes, and participation has increased dramatically over the years. As river snorkeling’s popularity has increased so has the economic stimulus to businesses and organizations in the region.

“The Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail is a logical partnership for us, given how it showcases the natural wonders of life under the water surface in our mountain region,” said Western Regional Director Callie Moore of MountainTrue, a Southern Blue Ridge environmental and conservation organization with strong aquatic monitoring and conservation programs. “Given the excitement already generated around the pilot sites, we are hoping to secure more funding to expand this program so that there is a snorkel site in each county in Western North Carolina.”

The timing of the trail’s opening is serendipitous given the North Carolina General Assembly designated 2023 as the Year of the Trail to bring attention to the numerous outdoor recreational attractions and networks of diverse trails that North Carolina has to offer.

While still under development, information about site kick-off events with guided snorkeling, the trail, and snorkel sites will be provided on blueridgesnorkeltrail.com in advance of the trail’s launch in late spring.

April Showers Bring Spawners

By Capt. James McManus

April showers bring May flowers” but March brought a lot of rain, so I’m hoping for a showering of fish in April. I love this time of year for guiding because fish are easy to locate and entice into the boat. With stripers, there are still some birds around to help, while our mountain lakes have most fish pasted to the banks in spawn mode. Smallies may be through with their rite of spring, but our spots and crappie still have plenty of business to do. It reminds me of pond fishing back east

where most bass made beds right against the bank. You can fish beds in our mountain lakes, but the banks get deep quick, so beds are hard to spot.

Our biggest hindrance to catching spawners, and especially crappie, is the rising water levels. I realize TVA has an agenda, but there couldn’t be a better plan of attack, if you were trying to eliminate a species, than by screwing with water levels. Just when they feel the urge and seek out shallow brush in what was 3 to 4 feet deep on Monday, TVA closes the gates, and it may be 15 feet deep by Friday. Seems to me there should be a better option for their schedule.

There is also the mess that comes with quickly rising water levels, when everything on the banks floats into the middle of the lake. With the money made from power generation, some should be okay; enough whining! I am about to get my boat back from its spring tune-up, and there are many days coming that are perfect for loading the boat. Be careful out there, take kids when you can. Our family just moved next door with 5 young’uns, so if you see a Blue Wave loaded with screaming kids, it’s probably me. Thank you Lord for blessing us with our beautiful waters.

Later, Capt. James.

Capt. James McManus owns 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great day on the water at (828) 421-8125

Fly Fishing Western North Carolina

By Frank Yaun

“Trout don’t live in ugly places”. I’m pretty sure whoever first said that was standing in a stream in Western North Carolina (WNC), or at least they could have been. There are literally thousands of miles of streams and rivers here in WNC that have fishable trout populations, from small high mountain streams teeming with Southern Appalachian Brook Trout (true native), to larger, more well known superb fisheries like the Davidson or Nantahala Rivers. If you like to fly fish for Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout, and like to be able to breath in the serenity and beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, then WNC is your huckleberry.

Let’s first start with a little history lesson. Trout first showed up in WNC about 10,000 years ago, when Joe Biden was running for POTUS for the first time. The last ice age was happening, and these ancestors of modern day Arctic Char were trapped in mountain watersheds in the Southern Appalachians as the glaciers began to recede. This fish evolved into the modern day brook trout, but their habitat was greatly reduced by the post War of Northern Aggression logging, that stripped the land and almost wiped out the existing brook trout populations, but hey, at least we introduced grits to our friends up North. At some point around 1900-ish, non-native Rainbow and German Brown trout were introduced to WNC, which are generally slightly more tolerating of warmer water temps, which is what happens when you remove the tree canopies from streams (logging). Since then, the world began to realize we were killing off our environment by polluting our waterways, and began to be more conscious of the importance of clean waterways, and the trout populations in WNC (and other areas) began to thrive. About 30 years ago, the biologists with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission began what’s now known as the Delayed Harvest (DH) program, in which certain streams are stocked heavily every

month from October thru May, and during that time period, it’s all catch and release, which has been a great attractor of people throughout the world to come to this area to not only enjoy the natural beauty of WNC, but to try their hand at catching Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout on a fly, and the odds are dramatically increased with the delayed harvest program!

There’s a variety of areas to fish to fish here in WNC, and the NCWRC does a good job of managing the various fisheries. I’ll elucidate a bit on each:

DH - as explained earlier, these streams are stocked heavy each month from October thru May, all catch & release during this time period. Great place to learn to fly fish & catch fish while doing so. Many if not most of these DH streams have some degree of wild trout.

Hatchery Supported (HS) - stocked monthly, good place for folks to go that want to keep a trout or two for the pan, though I personally release them all, TLM! (Trout Lives Matter).

Wild Trout Streams - There are several different designations of streams with naturally sustained trout populations, hence the “wild” moniker. Some are fly fish / release only, some you can keep a few, some are exclusively Brook trout, and some have all 3 species that naturally reproduce. These fish are usually quite receptive to the fly, IF you’re stealthy & present the fly correctly. To practice your stealth, try sneaking up on family members & scaring them. If you survive, you’ll be ready to sneak up on trout. Maybe. We use a variety of different techniques to teach folks to fish with:

1. Euro or Tight Line Nymphing - don’t be turned off by the word Euro, you DO NOT have to wear skinny jeans, a fanny pack, and have

Continued, see FLY FISHING WESTERN NC Page 29

baits at surface to 20 ft. depths.

If walleyes are what you’re after, the spawning is about done, so red clay banks with live crawlers is your ticket. Bass should be wide open, right on the bank, both with minnows or minnow-looking artificial baits. I like Keitechs and flukes but have caught well on plastic worms and spinner baits.

No matter what your style is, this is gonna be your time, so grab the kids and head to the water for some warm temperatures and hot fishing. No better time to get them hooked than right now. Maybe you will see my little fishing buddy, Coy, and me, pictured in the photo.

We o er both full and half day trips with the most competitive rates available. All tackle and supplies you will need while you are on your trip is covered by our listed price.

Hey folks, I hope winter is about over. I’m ready for spring flowers, turkeys gobblin’, and fish-feeding frenzies.

This marks the best time of year to catch multiple species of fish. The crappie are scattered, getting on with the spawning process. Tactics and tackle vary from angler to angler. Almost all will produce when the bite is on, but my favorite is slow trolling live and artificial

Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains www.smounlimited.com;

Fontana Lake Fishing Guides – Ronnie Parris, Owner & Head Guide LAKE, CREEK & RIVER FISHING • FLY FISHING • CAMPING

Untangling Knots and How to Prevent Them

By Ethan Hollifield

The most common adage of the fly fishing guide is “half my job is untangling knots.” And well, to an extent this is true. I would be lying if I said I don’t get a pretty bad bird’s nest of line from time to time. I have learned a few tricks in my guiding career that allow for those instances of frustration to become less common over time, and what to do when a bad tangle does happen.

Firstly, I think it’s important to identify that the main problem with many fly anglers and tangles lies predominantly with casting proficiency. Joe Humphreys once said that there’s no such thing as a wind knot, only a “bad cast knot,” and I can’t help but agree.

Narrowing it down, the most common issue is that most tangles are caused by trying to force a cast, rather than allowing the rod, fly line, and leader to transmit energy out in an efficient manner. Forcing a cast increases the rod speed too greatly and causes tailing loops on false casts. In addition, moving the rod at wide angles on the forward/ back casting stroke can also cause tangles.

The easiest way to remedy this is to shorten the casting stroke and “tap” the rod by squeezing the cork handle. There are some wonderful videos of Joe Humphreys and George Harvey explaining this online, and I would highly recommend studying them to become a more

proficient caster overall. Another remedy is to extend the butt section of the leader by adding two to three feet of 25lb maxima hard mono. The stiffer butt section then allows for leaders to turn over more smoothly with less effort.

Now, when the inevitable tangle does happen, here are the steps to follow:

1. When fishing nymph rigs or dry droppers, start by removing the bottom fly. 80% of the tangles I run into on guide trips can be undone relatively quickly without too much effort once this is done, and the fly can simply then be retied onto the tippet.

2. If you see frays, line twist, or nicks in the leader/ tippet, cut it off and retie everything completely. These are weak points in the line that, even if undone, can result in fish breaking off and/ or more tangles in the future.

3. Limit the amount of back casting and line that you are throwing. I generally try to teach most of my clients to make their casts in one smooth motion, since most of the fishing you’ll run into within the Southern Appalachians is close quarters, high sticking anyways. You shouldn’t be throwing 30’ of line to hit a pocket 10’ away. By limiting the number of false casts, you also prevent yourself from ending up in as many branches.

4. Tie your own leaders. The premade leaders work okay in

Continued, see UNTANGLING KNOTS Page 32

From the Locks to the Rocks

By Captain Craig Hensel

What’s going on everyone? Captain Craig here, with AWOL Fishing Charters! I hope all of you are enjoying this rollercoaster weather we are having right now, because it has got the fish cranked up!

We have been having the absolute best rod-bending action on the Cape Fear River, from Wilmington to Fayetteville, North Carolina. The American shad have reached the Locks way ahead of schedule this year. The stripers and the catfish are hot on their tails. Yesterday, March 12th, 2023, I received a call from one of my regular customers, asking if I was on the water. I laughed and said, no sir, I just woke up.

Now mind you, its 10AM. The time has changed and has me all sorts of messed up. Anyways, it’s pouring rain, cold, I mean just one heck of a dreary day. He asks if I would take him out for American shad and some nighttime catfishing. So I said, “yeah man, when do you want to go?” He says, “today”. I said, “well let me throw on some clothes, grab some rods, we’ll hook and book. I haven’t ever caught a fish wearing a raincoat.” So we drove to Lock and Dam #2 in Elizabethtown, NC.

Upon arrival, I put the full enclosure up on the boat, threw in

Continued, see LOCKS TO THE ROCKS Page 32

Public Mountain Trout Waters are Managed by Six Different Classifications

Consult the North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest for current regulatory information

Definitions:

• An artificial lure is defined as a fishing lure that neither contains nor has been treated with any substance

• that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell

• An artificial fly is defined as one single hook dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel, rubber, or any similar material to which no additional hook, spinner, spoon or similar device is added

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

•Season is open from August 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023

•No bait restrictions

•No minimum length limit

•Seven (7) trout per day creel limit

•No fishing allowed from March 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023

•Then from 7:00 a.m. April 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023

•No bait restrictions

•No minimum length limit

•Seven (7) trout per day creel limit

•There is no closed season for fishing on power reservoirs and city water supply reservoirs designated as trout waters

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters

• October 1, 2022 to June 2, 2023

•No trout may be harvested or possessed

•Only artificial lures having one single hook may be used

•No fishing allowed at all between 1/2 hour after sunset on June 2, 2023 and 6:00 a.m. on June 3, 2023

•At 6:00 a.m. on June 3, 2023 these waters open to fishing for youths under 18 years old under Hatchery Supported Trout Waters regulations

•No bait restrictions

•No minimum length limit

•Seven (7) trout per day creel limit

•At 12:00 p.m. on June 3, 2023 these waters open for all anglers under Hatchery Supported Trout Waters regulations

• Natural bait is defined as any living or dead organism (plant or animal), or parts thereof, or prepared

• substances designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell

• A single hook is defined as a fish hook with only one point

Wild Trout Waters

• Season is open year-round

• Only artificial lures having one single hook may be used

• You can only keep four (4) fish

• The four fish must be at least seven (7) inches long

• It is unlawful to possess natural bait on your person while fishing

Catch and Release/Artificial Flies and Lures Only

Trout Waters

•Season is open year-round

•No trout may be harvested or possessed

•Only artificial flies and lures having one single hook may be used

•It is unlawful to possess natural bait on your person while fishing

Wild Trout/Natural Bait Waters

•Season is open year-round:

•You can use a single hook artificial lure (or)

•You can use a single hook with natural bait, except live fish

•You can only keep four (4) fish

•The four fish must be at least seven (7) inches long

Special Regulation Trout Waters

The Special Regulation classification allows the Commission to implement site specific regulations on unique trout fisheries in the state that do not fit into existing categories. The regulations for each water body managed under Special Regulation will be displayed on each sign.

Spring Tactics In The Upstate

By Karl Ekberg

Now, with the winter season behind us, warmer, longer daylight days are ahead. Many days of dry fly fishing have blessed the South Carolina waters through March. Excellent cool evenings and warm days have made early spring fishing a delight throughout the Chattooga and Chauga Rivers. Great rain has also blessed the river valleys, with rain coming in every four to five days, bringing water levels up and then subsiding to wadable levels within a day or two of the storms passing. The hatcheries, from both Georgia and South Carolina, have been stocking trout throughout the Delayed Harvest and other sections of the rivers, with great abundance this spring. The April outlook for the weather looks to be a continued wet/rainy month, with about average temperatures in the mid-sixties. This time of year, it is crucial that we still receive plenty of rain to keep water table levels up, as warmer temperatures are on the horizon.

A “dry-dropper” rig is a favorite of our guides during their trips with clients during this time of year. Excellent numbers of fish are being

caught using this technique. This is an easy set up for everyone to use. Simply select a large, highly buoyant dry fly, consisting of a highly visible wing (top of the fly), and preferably a foam body. From the hook of this fly, tie on a piece of tippet of 4X-6X diameter and eighteen to twenty-four inches long. To the end of this tippet will be tied a smaller nymph or emerger of the hatches occurring on the rivers at the time.

The dry fly serves several purposes in the entire presentation of the flies being fished. First, the large dry acts as an “indicator” for strikes from the trout on the trailer/dropper fly. Secondly, and of possibly more importance, it shows if the flies are drifting drag-free throughout our entire drift/presentation of the flies. Having the leader and fly line upstream above the dry fly is crucial for the drift, with little to no fly line on the water. After the cast of the dry-dropper rig, a mend or two of the leader, fly line, and an easy rod lift is necessary to accomplish the dead

Continued, see SPRING TACTICS Page 32

By Scott Norton

This is the season anglers have been waiting for. The water temperatures are rising, and those warming trends are waking those bass up. We have had a very mild winter this year, so the water warm up will happen fast.

Warming weather patterns in February are a sign that bass will be feeding up really good by early March. I have been getting reports that aggressive bass are in the shallows feeding good in late February. Let’s hope that a late cold spell will not happen to shut this down. The rain will warm the waters quickly and raise the pool level causing the bass to go shallow.

Just remember, this time of year they will bite just about everything you offer them. Those big females are needing iodine from crayfish to break those egg-sacks, so going with a red or orange color may be the best way to just target those females. You can tell if they are feeding on crayfish or shad just by looking at their mouths. If they have a red, worn look to their mouths, more than likely they are feeding on crayfish on the bottom. If their mouths are white with sharp teeth, chances are they have been feeding on shad. Just pay attention to your catches.

The males will be the first wave, coming into the secondary points first, and the females will usually be behind them. So, when you find them, pay attention to the size and sex of the bass. You will still find them deep as well, but they will eventually join the others as the water warms. You will also notice the ones in the shallows will prefer a different pattern than the ones down deep. The bass down deep may want a slower presentation, while the bass in the shallows may be more aggressive, so use a faster presentation.

A good tip is to start on the sunny side of the lake where the sun

Continued, see SPRING PATTERNS Page 32

SPRING CLEANING

By Capt. Cefus McRae,

Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Series

You can tell spring has finally sprung when you see dogwoods in full bloom, and every car has a thick coat of yellow pollen on it.

In our household this new season means it’s time to break out the fishing gear that has been patiently waiting for the warm weather to arrive.

Now, it’s true that I do fish year ‘round, and my fishing gear gets used on a regular basis. But there is some gear that hibernates during the winter months and needs a little TLC in the spring.

Just like your boat, hopefully you ‘winterized’ your tackle before you put it away last fall.

You gave everything a good fresh water rinse, put a little paste wax on your rod blanks, a little non-corrosive spray on the moving parts of your reel, and tidied-up your lure and tackle trays. At the end of the season, I always completely empty my tackle bags and shake them out over the garbage can. There are usually a couple half-eaten, crushed up crackers and a few wads of fishing line lodged in a corner.

On the other hand, maybe you were rushed to get home on your last fishing trip in October; and you just put all your gear in a corner, or maybe even left it on the boat. It’s been sitting there in a damp compartment with a forgotten bologna sandwich, and a bottle of chocolate milk. Oops.

Revitalizing your gear is pretty simple. Take the reels off the rods and rinse both with fresh water, using a soft rag to remove leftover

fish scales or goo. Dry the rod and roll a Q-TIp around the inside of each guide. If any cotton fibers get caught in a guide, then you’ve potentially got a problem. A nicked or scored eye can abrade your line to the point it breaks the next time you’re fighting a trophy fish. If all is good, put a light coat of car wax on the rod, guides and guide frames, and buff to a shine. This will not only make your rod look great, the UV inhibitors in the wax will protect the finish, and the wax will make the rod easier to clean in the future.

Next, decide if you need to replace the line on the reel. If it’s spooled with monofilament, and been sitting up since the fall, it’s probably a good idea to respool. First, give the empty spool a good cleaning, and perform the manufacturer’s recommended lubrication on the internal and external components. After that, a light coat of wax on the exterior is a good idea.

If your reel has braided line, you have a couple options. One is to simply pull off a few yards of line, cut that off and call it a day. That top couple of coils is what gets the most abuse during the season, and by removing it, you have reasonably good line to start the new season. Unless the line is really old, I don’t typically replace the entire spool until I have cut so much off that it doesn’t cast properly anymore.

The second option is to ‘flip’ the braided line over, and use the portion of the line that’s never left the spool. Most of the time, you’re only working with the top 25% of the line on a spool. All the other

Continued, see SPRING CLEANING Page 32

Always Have Somewhere You Are Going

By Matt Mittan

Irecently got to enjoy my first “fishing by foot” hike of the year. I decided to take a half-day to explore and fish some National Forest Lands. The highlight of the day would be getting an early season peek at a pond that I hadn’t fished in a long time.

I thought it would be fun to not prepare a trail plan, like I normally would. I knew I was going to explore a part of streams and a side of the pond I had never been to before. But instead of looking ahead of time, I figured that since it was such a well-traveled place, it would be hard for me to screw things up too badly. So I just winged it.

Before I get into the experiences of the day, I should back it up and note that I had this day on my calendar for weeks. Life gets busy sometimes so having a whole half-day blocked out, during the work week, is a rarity. I wanted to have a better chance of finding some serenity and “away from people” hours in nature. I knew that wouldn’t happen if I went on a weekend. So as the days counted down, I kept checking my weather app to see what kind of surprise, late winter/early spring kind-of-day I might have in store. I wouldn’t have dared pray for the kind of weather perfection there was as I woke the morning of my trip. Forecast: Sunny and 72 degrees.

As I worked my half-day in the office, the minutes felt like hours. The hours like days. Finally, time came to punch out, load the car and head out for my mini-adventure. As I arrived at the trailhead, I felt like a school kid about to head out on Spring Break. I threw on my pack, grabbed my fishing gear and slapped on my knee brace. Off I hiked. Walking under the dancing shadows of the trees, hearing the

approaching wind gusts move through the forest and then filling my lungs with cool bursts of fresh air was pure delight.

As I crossed over small streams and eventually came to my first opening overlooking the pond I was so anxious to fish, I welcomed the revitalizing flush of joy that natural settings bring.

Along the way, I surveyed every nook and cranny for pre-spawn Bass. I found a few, but none that would give my offerings any attention. They just taunted me with their football shaped, sluggish stares. I didn’t really mind though. I knew I was about to go where I hadn’t been before, on the pond and on the trail system.

My day continued with numerous wonderful moments of peace and exploration. That is, until I realized that I had reached a point where I needed to decide about where and how I would get back to my car before sundown. Because I hadn’t explored a map before coming out, I didn’t know how far I might have to go before I could find a safe crossing over the large creek I was on the back side of. I walked on for another half mile or so before surrendering to the idea that I should just retrace my steps.

The day’s vibe changed dramatically at that point. This was no longer an exploration of new areas or the chance to catch some fish, it became a chore, a necessary task to complete. This is when I noticed my fatigue. I noticed how drenched in sweat I was. I winced every steep step I took against my strained knee. My thoughts were consumed with how much farther I had to go to get out. This didn’t feel like the first 2/3 of the trip, at all.

It was then that it occurred to me...When I had somewhere I was going, I was excited, energized, grateful, and open. When I decided I had to go “backwards,” it was no longer fun. So I sat by the creek for a moment and started to wonder if I might see the Bald Eagle rumored to live by the pond. I was curious to see what the view of each clearing looked like from another angle. I couldn’t wait to get to some of the windswept clearings that were so refreshing early in my hike.

It was no longer a hike “back”—it was something I was moving toward with anticipation again. I suppose my lesson was that we can apply that to our regular lives too. If we make a conscious effort each day to find what we are moving toward, rather than what we are leaving behind or are retreating back to, the world becomes a much more enjoyable place. Now, I always want to make sure I have somewhere I’m going.

Matt Mittan is owner of Serenity Outdoors Guide Service and Owner of BizRadio.US. He also co-Hosts Matt & Michele Outdoors, an outdoor themed travel radio show. Learn more at MattMittan.com

FLY FISHING WESTERN NC continued from page 16

a weird accent, though I do speak like a British Hillbilly (is there such a thing?) when Euro’ing. Trout spend somewhere around 96.32 % of their feeding sub-surface, eating primarily aquatic insects in the nymph stage, not Cheetos very often, so we need to get the nymph type fly down where they’re chowing, and the Euro style is the most effective way to do this.

2. Traditional Fly Fishing - Brad Pitt wasn’t fishing Euro style with flies he tied after watching YouTube instructional videos, in a River Runs Through it, I’m pretty sure. The graceful, elegant casts many people associate with fly fishing is what I deem Traditional Fly Fishing. Long story short, it’s primarily with a weight forward traditional floating line, tapered leader, which is very proficient at casting weightless dry flies, weighted or unweighted nymphs, streamers, and soft hackles (one of my favorites). This is by far the most common form of fly fishing, and the most multipurpose.

3. Streamer Fishing – This is my jam, big trout eat big flies, sometimes, and sometimes they just look at me and say (in fishy language), well I can’t say, but they curse at me. Big browns are heavily carnivores, existing on primarily forage fish, crayfish, and big terrestrial bugs, so the strategy is to produce a predatory response by putting our version of a double cheeseburger in their face. We call this sticking pigs, not to be confused with eating at a local BBQ restaurant. We use a slightly modified Traditional Fly Fishing rig, but in a 6 or 7 weight.

In a nutshell, we have excellent fishing here in Western North Carolina, to go along with all the other fun stuff, like the Biltmore, Asheville, hiking, Maggie Valley, and on and on, it’s 100% worth it, especially if you like catching fish in an absolutely stunningly beautiful area!

Frank Yaun has been chasing trout around WNC, and all over the US for over 30 years, but WNC is home, and his first love. Frank resides in Asheville with his wife and his 12yo son, and when not fishing, he’s usually on the tying vice. He guides exclusively for Maggie Valley Fly Shop, the best damn fly shop in Western NC, bar none.

HELP KEEP SC WATERS CLEAN!

Behind habit destruction, the #1 reason for threatened and endangered species is loss caused by Introduced Invasive Species!

Introduced species are a greater threat to native biodiversity than pollution, harvest, and disease combined.

More than 400 of the over 1,300 species currently protected under the Endangered Species Act, and more than 180 candidate species for listing are considered to be at risk at least partly due to displacement by, competition with, and predation by invasive species. Invasive species are a leading factor in freshwater fish extinctions and endangerments. Non-native invasive species cost the economy of the United States more than $120 billion annually in lost production and control costs.

In the absence of native predators and diseases, nonindigenous organisms may develop very large populations that create severe ecological and economic problems. When such invasions occur in our lakes and rivers they can disrupt whole aquatic ecosystems and impair important municipal, industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses of our waterways. Exotic plant and animal species that threaten the diversity and use of our waters are typically termed Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). Estuarine and marine environments are also impacted by aquatic nuisance species; however, the focus of this section is on freshwater species.

In South Carolina, the principal focus of managing AIS has been directed at nuisance aquatic plants, exotic mussels, and exotic fishes. Historically, non-native species have been introduced to South Carolina through direct stocking, aquascaping, shipping, aquarium

releases and bait releases. Some species also “hitchhike” on boats, motors and trailers. South Carolina spends several hundred thousand dollars per year managing invasive aquatic vegetation threats alone. Annually, the State of Florida spends more than $100 million on exotic plant and animal and insect control. In 1991, an invasion of the aquatic weed hydrilla shut down the St. Stephen hydroelectric plant on Lake Moultrie for weeks, costing $4 million in lost productivity and $526,000 worth of gamefish deaths

https://www.dnr.sc.gov/water/envaff/aquatic/index.html

Bassmaster Elite Series April 20-23 on Lake Murray

Columbia, S.C. – Lake Murray was selected from a list of national fishing destinations to serve as one of nine stops in the series. Anglers from around the country will compete for the title of “Bassmaster Champion.” The Bassmaster Elite series is one of the most viewed fishing tournaments on television, garnering an audience of over twelve million viewers. Coverage of the series can be found on Bassmaster.com, FOX Sports channels, and streaming services.

Join in the angling fun at the family-friendly FREE Community Expo, April 22-23 from 12-5 PM at Dreher Island State Park. Enjoy booths/ exhibits from SC DNR, The Gamecock Bass Fishing Team, Realtor-Cat Thornton, Big Lake Outdoors, Lews/Strike King fishing simulator, Peak Drift Brewery, and many more. Come hungry and thirsty for Big Boys BBQ & Sarah’s Rockin’ Kitchen food trucks. Exhibits from B.A.S.S. sponsors include the Toyota Experience, AFTCO, Power-Pole, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Ranger Boats, Yamaha Trailer Experience, Daiwa, Garmin, Demo rides from Nitro/Ranger/Mercury & Skeeter/Yamaha.

Don’t miss the FREE Concert during the Expo Saturday, with MULTIPLATINUM-selling, two-time GRAMMY Award winner Kristian Bush! Kristian Bush is most known for being half of the record-breaking Country duo Sugarland. The Sevierville, TN native launched his professional music career in 1994 with the Folk-Rock duo Billy Pilgrim. Within the decade, Kristian moved on to form Sugarland with Jennifer Nettles. The pair, who released their debut single “Baby Girl” in 2004 went on to chart five No. 1 hits and 12 Top 10 songs. His “Southern Gravity” solo debut in 2015

produced Top 20 hit “Trailer Hitch.” Kristian made a foray into television theme songs in 2016 with “Forever Now (Say Yes),” which he penned and performed for TLC’s popular show “Say Yes to the Dress.”

Parking on Dreher Island is $3 (per adult), $1.50 (Adults 65 years and older), and $1 (Ages 6-15) and space is extremely limited. Save your money and take the complimentary shuttle. Shuttles will run from 11:30-5:00 PM from St. Peter Lutheran Church (900 Dreher Island Rd, Chapin, SC 29036) to Dreher Island State Park. Shuttle vans within the park will run from 11:30-5:30 PM.

Lake Murray Country is where a Bassmaster champion will be crowned and is a key stop in the series for Elite pros competing for the title of “Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year”, as well as “Rookie of the Year.” The Bassmaster Elite Series is a stepping stone to the coveted “Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota”.

“This prestigious event brings the nation’s top anglers to the region for a week of high-stakes fishing. Each angler will be challenged to deliver on their expertise on Lake Murray. We cannot wait to see how they break previous records,” states Miriam Atria President/CEO.

CCLMC is the official source for all things Lake Murray Country. Find information on attractions, dining, hotels, outdoor recreation, fishing, golf, and events to plan your next trip. Explore The Top Southern Destinations of Columbia, Richland, Lexington, Newberry, and Saluda. For more information about CCLMC visit LakeMurrayCountry.com or call 803781-5940 | 1-866-SC-Jewel.

UNTANGLING KNOTS continued from page 18

most circumstances, but more and more I find myself building my own leaders. The wealth of knowledge in leader formulas now is substantial with a quick google search. For the most part, hand-tied leaders are more cost efficient and cast much more efficiently. A quick fix for premade leaders is to add a longer butt section, as mentioned above.

5. Never pull the ends of a tangle away from each other. This can turn an easy fix into a massive knot quickly. Most tangles are simply the leader/tippet wrapped around itself anyways.

Ethan Hollifield is a member of a conservation organization called 2% For Conservation and a guide for Southern Appalachian Anglers

SPRING PATTERNS continued from page 24

warms the water first. Rock and wood are a good thing to focus on to start with. If this does not work, look for isolated cover and see if they are there. I have seen lakes with too much wood, so this would be a good place for isolated cover. You can break down a lake by grouping your options, so you don’t waste too much time trying to fish everything you see.

Water clarity is also important when selecting the right bait. We will get some rain during this time, so this means the water will be muddy in some of the places. If you find yourself with muddy water, do not use a swim-bait. You will want something bright in color with a rattle or vibration. If you really want to use a swim-bait, make sure you use one with a large size profile, so that it displaces water. Bass will be able to key in on a silent lure, as long as they can detect a presence in the water. Have fun this season and use your head to find large numbers of quality fish. Make a plan and keep it simple.

Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior.

SPRING CLEANING continued from page 26

braid just sits there as backing, and that line is virtually brand new. The new superlines have a long shelf life compared to monofilament, and they don’t develop a ‘memory’. So you can get double mileage out of that expensive line. To do this, get another empty reel…tie the end of the existing line on it…and wind it on. You’ll be moving the used portion of the line to the bottom of the spool and all that unused line will now be on top.

Finally, take a good look at your lures, hooks, swivels, etc. in your tackle trays. You don’t need to throw away lures just because the hooks are rusty. Replace the hooks using new split rings.

Spring cleaning is somewhat of a ritual for me. It’s something I look forward to each year, because it heralds in a new fishing season. It’s also a great way to spend some quality time with your kids and teach them about tackle maintenance. Take care of your tackle and it will take care of you.

Tight lines and calm seas.

Capt. Cefus McRae

LOCKS TO THE ROCKS continued from page 19

the 20lb cylinder of propane with the buddy heater, dropped the boat in the water, and we were off. We pulled up behind the “no boats allowed” buoy, I dropped the Garmin Live Scope in the water and saw a few shad sitting in the current, just behind some riprap along the bank. We made 30 casts and limited out.

So, on the Cape Fear River, the limit is 5 American shad, per person, per day. We were the only boat on the water, so we stayed on them for a little bit longer and caught and released probably 75-100. It was constant rod action for about 2 hours. I looked at my customer and said, “Are you ready to go try for some catfish? I want to be set up before dark, so after dark we will be reeling in fish.” And that’s just how it happened.

We fished 2 different spots, from sundown to 11pm. He put the first flathead in the boat about 20 mins after dark. After that first fish hit the deck, it was one after another. We were apparently sitting on a school of catfish in 20 ft of water, off a ledge in the river channel. I couldn’t believe it. They just showed up out of nowhere. I had no intention on catching that many fish in one spot. The biggest fish was around 25lbs, but we caught and released well over 30 fish. It was an incredible night. But that’s how things happen.

You can scan an area that may be holding one or two fish, or none at all, and then all of a sudden they just pile in your area. Just remember guys, if you see a location that looks good, don’t pass it up just because your electronics don’t show anything in there at that time; those fish may move in within minutes. Always trust your gut and instincts.

I’m running a couple of specials this month on trips. Give me a call at 910-916-3138, and we can talk fishing, or you can book a trip and come fish with me. Either way, I hope you all have an amazing fishing season. Check us out on our social media platforms. Be sure to like, share, follow, give a thumbs up and subscribe. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my column. If you guys have any questions or want to read about a certain topic in next month’s column, feel free to reach out to me anytime.

SPRING TACTICS continued from page 22

drift, which is critical.

If fish are coming to the surface and refusing to eat, try a couple of the following things: Downsize the fly by one size, try the next size down of tippet, change color and, lastly, change the position of the cast for a slightly different drift. Dry flies not working? Full swing ahead with emergers or heavy tandem nymph rigs on the Euro side will still produce many fish throughout the day.

For a day or two following a heavy storm with lower water clarity, heavier flows, and elevated water heights, heavy steamers are also a great idea, with a weighted leader. The streamer side of things will be great, especially with the emergence of many small baitfish as the waters warm again.

As the weather warms, trees, bushes, and wildflowers are abloom throughout the river corridors, which brings out many folks, some new and some who haven’t visited in many years. Along with added foot traffic, there also seems to be added litter along riversides and parking areas. Please, let’s all remember we only have one outdoors, and while we enjoy it, “Leave No Trace” will leave a better place for all of us, tomorrow and for years to come.

Karl and Karen Ekberg are co-owners of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located at 6832-A Highlands Hwy, Mountain Rest, SC 29664. Give them a call at (864) 638-2806 and visit their website at www.chattoogariverflyshop.com.

Captain Craig Hensel, AWOL Fishing Charters with Capt. Craig Inc.910-916-3138.

THE ULTIMATE MIXED BAG in the Salmon Capital of the World

By Capt. Lukas Brickweg

The wondrous world of summer shing in Alaska draws anglers from around the world who ock to these rich waters annually. Ketchikan, Alaska, nestled in the heart of the sprawling temperate rainforest known as Tongass National Forest boasts the title of “Salmon Capital of the World,” and for good reason.

But salmon are not all visitors can expect to catch in this world-renowned shery. As an experienced captain who runs daily charters out of Ketchikan during the season, I still nd myself surprised by the productivity of these waters. Along with ve species of salmon, we also land big halibut, giant lingcod, paci c cod and rock sh in our daily catch limits. e shing is superb, and so is the wildlife watching. Hit the water with us, and I will gladly hand over the binoculars when marauding pods of orcas show up on the surface or when magni cent humpback whales breach. We share these waters with eagles, sea lions and so much more. It makes a perfect shing getaway for the entire family.

e awe-inspiring beauty that surrounds Ketchikan is something that must be witnessed to understand. From the rugged terrain of old growth forest in Tongass down to the vibrantly rich waters, each day surprises visitors with landscapes and

wildlife that make Ketchikan a bucket-list destination.

Who doesn’t dream of giant halibut or monstrous king salmon on these scenic waters? Peak season runs from midJune through September, with the absolute best shing during the months of July and August. is occurs when we have an overlapping run of king salmon, silver salmon and pink salmon. All the while, big halibut will have moved in from deep water to feed on the abundance of food present. For these reasons, one can expect to catch all species with potential record catches of halibut, salmon, lingcod and rock sh hitting the docks by day’s end.

Here’s what you might expect on a good fullday charter. We start out bottom shing for halibut in 150 to 400 feet of water until we get a limit. Using deep-water jigging rods, you’ll be tasked with reeling in hard- ghting halibut from the depths. en we switch gears to trolling with electric downriggers, running four rods for all ve species of wild Paci c salmon. Whether or not we hit our limit of salmon, we usually end the day jigging with light tackle for giant lingcod and pelagic rock sh to top o the day’s catch. Why settle for one species

when you can sh for them all?

A processing service will llet, vacuum seal and box up your catch to be shipped home overnight or taken on your ight as a checked bag. Ketchikan is easily accessible with convenient commercial ights, just two-hours out of Seattle, and lodging accommodations are available for groups of all sizes.

Book your dream trip to Alaska with Capt. Lukas Brickweg, of Ketchikan’s Finest Fishing Charters, at www.ketchikan shingtrips.com, call (907) 6174717 or email at ketchikan shingtrips@gmail.com.

FEDS SLASH ALABAMA RED SNAPPER QUOTA

is federally imposed catch limit is the latest point of contention in a two-decade-long power struggle between the Gulf states and the federal bureaucracy over management of one of the region’s most iconic and economically important sheries. Recreational red snapper shing brings millions of tourism dollars to the Gulf Coast each summer. In Alabama, o cials say the quota cut will bring an early end to the season.

e cuts are the result of a complicated formula used by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to assess red snapper stocks. Federal regulators and environmental groups are pointing to 2022’s reduced red snapper landings as evidence of a depleted shery. In 2020, recreational anglers o Alabama caught 1.1 million pounds of red snapper. In 2022, that gure dropped to less than 500,000 pounds.

AL.com reported that Sean Powers, a leading researcher in the 2020 Great American Red Snapper Count, said the limited landings in 2022 were caused by reduced angler e ort because of high gas prices and poor weather. “ e number of days people went out was half and we caught half of the quota,” Powers told Al.com. “ at’s straight forward. I don’t think it re ects on the health of the stock.”

It’s worth noting that the Great American Red Snapper Count is the study that showed there were more than three times as many red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico than the gures NMFS was previously using to set quotas. For years, sheries managers and politicians from all the Gulf states have been speaking out against NOAA’s “ awed science,” and the Snapper Count seemed to prove their argument. Since the study, NOAA has come up with a new system it says melds the Snapper Count with federal and state surveys. ere is plenty of skepticism over NOAA’s “calibration.”

“Red snapper shing is a huge part of Alabama’s Gulf Coast economy, which is why I’ll continue pushing back against the Department of Commerce’s disastrous proposal to decrease limits for red snapper anglers based on inaccurate data,” said U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R/Ala.) to Al.com.

Frustration is again mounting over federal management of the red snapper shery in the Gulf of Mexico. is time, the uproar is coming from the Alabama coast, where NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) slashed the state’s 2023 recreational quota by more than 50 percent.

Alabama’s quota this year is 558,200 pounds, down from 1.1 million pounds in 2022. e Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meets in April, and there is a possibility Alabama’s quota could increase slightly.

See www.al.com to read an excellent article on the issue by John Sharp.

WALK THE DOG FOR SPRINGTIME BASS

The months of covering water with your favorite topwater are upon us, and what a wonderful time it is! In some parts of the country, bass are already done spawning. While in others, the move to the shallows has only just begun. No matter the circumstances of your sh, they are on the feed and will certainly bite your lure if the right situation presents itself.

Where I live in Florida, the bass have already nished with their spawn. ey are roaming and chasing food to replenish themselves a er a few hard weeks up in the shallows. One of my favorite ways to catch these sh is by covering water with a walk-the-dog style topwater. Not only is it just the coolest bite ever, but it is also a bait that can mimic a ton of di erent food options. is should be used to cover water at a fast pace. Once you locate groups of sh, slow down with something else. row topwater around anything the treble hooks won’t get hung up on, and remember to stay near areas where sh just nished spawning.

In many other parts of the country, bass might currently be up in the shallows spawning. is is another awesome time to throw a walking topwater. Use it to nd sh spawning, and then slow down and pick up a few more sh with a slower bait, if needed. e target options are endless. Grass ats, shallow banks, wood, points, anywhere bass might be spawning is the perfect place to throw a walking bait.

Up North, sh might be in the very early stages of prespawn or even still have ice over their heads. Whatever the case may be, sh will bite a walking bait when the time is right… or when the water is in a liquid form. I have been very successful, especially on smallmouths, throwing a spook-style bait around spawning ats and points for very aggressive sh that are preparing to spawn. Some of the greatest shing memories

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I have from those parts of the country are from the prespawn. row it over rocks or grass points where bass chase bait as they feed up ahead of the spawn. Walk it over open water or down the bank; they will bite it.

Topwater rod and reel setups can be fairly simple. I like a shorter rod, which makes it easier to walk the dog, with a moderate action, so you don’t rip the hooks out of the sh. e 13 Fishing 7’3” Medium Defy is an a ordable rod with the perfect action. I pair this up with a 7:5:1 Concept A2 spooled with 40-pound Seaguar Smackdown braid for long casts and minimal stretch. e 13 Fishing Power Slide is an awesome topwater for these situations, and I always stick to natural bait sh colors. Grab one of these, get out on your favorite body of water and have some fun!

Details of services provided can be found online at BoatUS.com/Agree. TowBoatU.S. is not a rescue service. In an emergency situation, you must contact the Coast Guard or a government agency immediately.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcott shing.com.

TYLER WOOLCOTT

YAMAHA 22 FT FSH LINE: FISH AND PLAY IN VERSATILE LUXURY

Yamaha’s product line of 22 FT FSH boats has made quite the splash since hitting the water in August of 2022. Building upon the success of Yamaha’s versatile 21-foot center console line that it replaced, there are three separate 22-foot FSH® models that come with Yamaha’s best center console technology and features.

“Speci cally, the new models are 9 inches longer, with gunwales 2 inches higher at the helm and 4 inches higher at the bow than the previous 21-foot line,” said Jon Sutter, Yamaha Boats Product Planning Manager. “And the gunwales are thinner too, which adds to the roominess when passing by the center console.”

is series begins with the value-minded 220 FSH Sport powered by twin 1L TR-1 HO (High Output) engines. Moving up the line is the featurerich 222 FSH Sport, and the premium 222 FSH Sport E being the pinnacle of the series.

O ering sleek lines, agile handling, and superb performance, the new Yamaha 220 and 222 Series center console boats are big, with twin Yamaha marine engines generating up to 360 horsepower. Both 222 FSH models feature added performance delivered by twin 1.8L HO motors. All three models come with a fabric or berglass-molded T-Top with four “rocket launcher” rod holders.

e new 22-foot platform continues Yamaha’s trend toward contemporary design with its deep cockpit and great freeboard, enabling a spacious interior and large bow and cockpit areas.

e center console is nicely nished with plenty of room for Yamaha’s Connext® 5-inch touchscreen that controls the boat’s entertainment and vital system functions, a glass windshield, stainless steel steering wheel, a locking glove box, and a 9-inch Simrad® marine electronics system. And for the rst time on a Yamaha center console boat, all three models get a wirelesscharging phone mount.

ere’s nothing better than hanging out at a favorite cove listening to a great summer playlist. Yamaha has you covered here with its a Hertz® premium sound system that comes standard on the 222 FSH Sport E. is marine sound system comes with a Hertz® head unit, four deck speakers, and two speakers in the color-matched hardtop.

All three 22’ FSH models come standard with mounts for optional swimup seats. At anchor, two removable seats can be attached to the stern. ese seats sit just below the water’s surface, providing comfortable in-water seating facing the transom of the boat. And since the reboarding ladder is located between both seat positions, egress onto the swim platform is a breeze.

Fishing Amenities for Anglers

Understanding that fishing is the heart and soul of this product line, anglers around the globe have the below features to look forward to when purchasing a Yamaha 22FT FSH series boat:

• Storage for eight rods under the gunwales

• Storage for six rods on the side of the console

• Aerated 26-gal stern livewell

• Simrad® multi-function display

• Jet Wash® washdown system

Ultimately, Yamaha’s 22’ FSH models have set the standard in versatile luxury, while continuing to keep the end consumer in mind with its plethora of convenient amenities. Whether you’re enjoying its premium sound system or relaxing with the award-winning swim up stern seating, your days on the water can only be enhanced with Yamaha.

Learn more at YamahaBoats.com

222 FSH Sport E

Doing Your Homework

Eat, sleep, sh, repeat. Although I would love to live this life, it is just not possible… yet. I recently saw a cartoon that listed things I like to do in my spare time. Go shing, buy shing tackle, research shing and talk about shing. is rang true to me since this sport consumes my thoughts as it does many of yours. Here are a few things that I do when I am not shing that help me when I do have the opportunity to go. With the high winds of spring upon us, we all might have a little more dock time than water time.

I’m fascinated with weather. Not only do I look at the current conditions and forecast where I am, but I also look at it in areas where I travel to sh. is does a couple of things for me. First, it allows me to see possible great weather opportunities when I might be able to plan ahead and sneak away. It also keeps me from going on a day when the weather might be great, but the previous several days featured winds blowing strong from an unfavorable direction. For example, here on the Texas coast, southwest is a detrimental direction for high winds. It muddies most bays on our coast. e previous days’ wind velocity and direction are good to know and determine where I head when I launch the boat.

I spend a lot of time on the road, and I like listening to shing podcasts. Some of these give general information, and some are weekly reports covering current conditions and activity. ese can be great to stay in tune with what is happening and to learn from new points of view on approaching certain situations. ey might also cover new products I want to try.

Di erent social media platforms also keep you in tune. Find reputable anglers or guides in your area or an area you plan to go. Some frequently post how-to or what’s been working for them. ey might also talk about how to approach a certain area. If you like to travel to new areas, which I do, knowing how to approach an area can be key. In my local waters, we might approach a spot one way, but if I go to another state they may do the opposite. Knowing the local game plan can save the day.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

Last but not least, I look at satellite imagery very o en. One tip is to change the view and the year the image was taken for areas you sh. ese images can be dramatically di erent than the current images, and they might o er a much-improved view of bottom structure to point you to a spot you’ll want to try next time you are on the water.

e weather is warm, don’t forget to take a kid shing!

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

How To Rock a Walking Stick

An essential part of a gentleman’s wardrobe

In the 17th century, the walking stick overtook the sword as an essential part of a gentleman’s wardrobe. Though it was primarily used as a decorative accessory, it could also function as a weapon if necessary. For men of the era, these walking sticks were a statement piece, and a way to communicate their wealth and refinement.

carats

Today, walking sticks still represent status and prosperity –– a way to show off your deep pockets without being too flashy. In that vein, we present the Santa Fe Walking Stick. Made of eucalyptus wood painted a glossy black with an antiqued silverfinished sculpted handle, what gives this piece of finery a distinctive edge is an 18-carat turquoise inlay that’s been enhanced to bring out its best blues. Don’t be bashful about your affluence. See why the Santa Fe Walking Stick is the embodiment of sophisticated elegance for the modern gentleman.

Don’t delay: Our must-have Santa Fe Walking Stick was one of our best-selling items this past year. Because of this, we can only offer 723 walking sticks at this price with this ad! See why Stauer is becoming one of America’s fastest-growing sellers of walking sticks today!

Praise for Stauer Walking Sticks

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Speci cations:

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Santa Fe Walking Stick

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